[another poet]

another poet

apologizes at a microphone

weakening the hull of our ship

if you can’t believe in your poems

leave them at home until you

learn to deserve them

this poem this poet

will not apologize

I’m tired of smelling my dead boyfriend

his swimming arms lost to my bed

it hurts to admit I love being alive

I broke and those pieces broke

and those pieces crushed to powder

things to avoid saying around me:

take it like a trooper

stiff upper lip

keep it together

don’t let your mouth say these things

don’t let your comfort be selfish cruelty

let them shriek

let them sob

don’t be

a coward

about love

Credit

Author

CAConrad

CAConrad, the author of numerous collections of poetry, is known for their development of (Soma)tic Poetry Rituals.

Date Published

10/02/2017